Canoeing on the River Wiesent, Company A

Uniform is t-shirts & shorts . . . . Camelbacks and sun protection. We know it's going to be a hot day . . . 90's at least . . . hopefully it will be cool on the water. After breakfast at the DFac, the company boards the bus and heads out Gate 20 and through the Netzaberg Housing Area. The bus travels though the Bavarian Swiss Valley to the town of Pottenstein. The start point is a canoeing operation set up at a former railroad station called Behringersmuehle. Outdoor Recreation employees are in charge of the day's event . . . they issue paddles, life jackets and assign canoes to teams of two or three. The two platoons travel down the River Wiesent . . . flowing rather gently considering there was a lot of rain in Germany during the previous couple of weeks. There are a few minor obstacles to negotiate . . . .white water mostly, but nothing signifcant. Some cadets learn the hard way . . . they get wet once they tip their canoes.There are three places we have to portage: a dam at Sachsenmuehle and a great deal of white water further down the river . . . and lastly at our lunch stop in Muggendorf. Hot dogs and MREs for lunch.Further down the river we finish the trip beneath the Ruine Neideck . . . an old castle ruin that commands the entire valley.

Canoeing on the River Wiesent, Company B

Another hot day on the water . . . this time for Bravo Company. (Check back later for some more thoughts on the subject . . . the PAO is tired and is going to bed!)